Cannellini Bean and Pasta Soup

From Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta - 100 Quick and Easy Recipes Minestra di Cannellini e Pasta | Serves 4 Minus the pasta, this soup spans at least three generations. My mother learned it from her father. Then it became one of my father’s favorites. He is particularly fond of beans, and this is a thick soup of all beans and very little else. The little else though, is garlic and parsley, which give cannellini beans an immensely satisfying flavor. I’ve added pasta to make the soup substantial enough for a meal. 1 large clove garlic 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 cups (2 15-ounce cans) canned cannellini beans, drained Salt Freshly ground black pepper 3–4 springs flat-leaf Italian parsley 1 large beef bouillon cube 4 ounces dried egg noodles, such as tagliatelle or pappardelle 1. Peel the garlic and finely chop it. Put it with the olive oil in a 4- to 6- quart soup pot and place over medium-high heat. After the garlic begins to sizzle, add the cannellini beans and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. 2. While the beans are cooking, finely chop enough parsley to measure 1 tablespoon. 3. After the beans have cooked for 5 minutes, add 2 cups water and the bouillon cube and cover the pot. Once the soup has come to a boil, break the egg noodles into approximately 1-inch pieces and add them to the soup. Lower the heat to medium, add the parsley, and cook, covered, until the pasta is al dente. Serve hot.